KEEP OUT!

Hopefully, we would never put a sign up in our stores barring anyone from entering. but because of the level of service, or lack thereof, a lot of establishments do just that. They are saying "Keep Out" or "you're not appreciated here" or "I have a list of things to do a mile long so don't bother me with useless questions today."

It's sad to say that those people just don't get it. And probably never will. But due to their inability to keep a well maintained store they are silently delivering a message of Keep Out!

Today I had a lot on my list of things to do. It was payroll Monday. Got that done first thing this morning. Then I have paperwork to complete totalling last week's sales. There's still some shipment to get put out. There were plan-o-gram revisions that needed to be done. There are sections that have to be moved which involved about moving three other sections before I could get to the main one. Then there are the customers that come in and interrupt the flow by asking so many questions. Plus, I was training someone on the new register system we have. The landscaping company for the shopping center was doing some maintenance in the common areas of the parking lot. This was stirring up a lot of dead grass and leaves which the customers kept tracking into the store. This meant they were getting the rugs and the floor dirty (after I had swept twice this morning). Then the phone calls started. Customers, other stores, vendors, telemarketers . . . . it went on like this all day today. I should have just put the KEEP OUT sign on the door and left for the day.

But I didn't. I answered questions while training. I sincerely thanked my customers for their loyalty. I swept the rugs multiple times today (and should have once more at closing). I answered each phone call. I got most of the sections moved. I took out trash. I served the customers. In all of this, I had the "Welcome" mat out instead of the "KEEP OUT" sign posted.

As busy as you may get with all of the activities of the day, do you still have your welcome mat out?